PHILADELPHIA — The old Michael Vick would have thrown the ball into traffic, risking a game-ending turnover and heaping more scrutiny on his ultra-sensitive coaching staff.

The new Vick took a sack accompanied by a knee contusion.

Just by playing it safe Sunday night, Vick gave the Eagles another play to beat the Giants with a 26-yard field goal by Alex Henery. Consider the minor injury Vick’s red badge of inner courage. Coach Andy Reid sees no reason for Vick to miss practice because of it.

“He’s fine,” Reid said Monday. “He was up and moving today and doing good.”

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As far as Reid is concerned, Vick’s decision to absorb a mild hit playing within the scheme was a perfect example of taking one for the team. The Eagles were struggling to solve the red zone defense of the Giants, who are much more relentless inside their 20-yard line than outside of it. On third-and-goal from the Giants’ 2, Vick rolled left looking for receivers Jeremy Maclin and Jason Avant in the end zone. Both were blanketed.

Instead of forcing the ball in there, Vick slid to the ground, feet-first. Unfortunately, Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora came over the top, one of his legs strafing Vick’s right knee. Vick went down so suddenly the klutzy Umenyiora fell over him by accident.

Reid, who can put you to sleep talking about making plays, rarely has been so happy discussing a non-play.

“It gave us three options,” Reid said. “It gave us the two receivers on that side and it also added Mike into the equation as a run. If the play wasn’t there, as opposed to forcing something, and if Mike couldn’t score by running, just go ahead and get down, but do it in-bounds. You get down and we go ahead and kick it.”

With the clock running, the Giants, down 19-17, had little choice but to use their last timeout with 1:52 to go. They ran out of time, not downs, sending kicker Lawrence Tynes out to try a desperation 54-yard field goal attempt in the final 15 seconds. Tynes came up short.

It was the type of decision Vick struggled with earlier this season on his way to throwing six interceptions. This time, instead of standing straight up when the defenders had him in their headlights, Vick found cover. Subsequently, he avoided his fourth lost fumble.

Vick’s play and a handful of others like it is the reason the Eagles didn’t turn the ball over on a Sunday for the first time this season. It was a departure from the often reckless gunslinger who too often cannot keep himself from pulling the trigger until he hears click.

“That was coach’s call but it was more strategy than anything,” Vick said. “We wanted them to burn the timeout. We didn’t want them to have two timeouts, knowing they were going to be able to get the ball back. So it was important just to make them burn a timeout, not lose as much yardage on the play and get something out of it, make it positive.”

While Reid downplayed the run game, it hardly seemed a coincidence the Eagles played turnover-free partly because they controlled the ball by handing it LeSean McCoy. He rushed for all but two of his game-high 123 yards in the second half.

Once the stats from the game were reviewed, it turned out the Eagles rushed 36 times and Vick threw 30 passes. Even factoring in Vick’s scrambles, there’s no doubt he feels more comfortable operating closer to a 50-50 balance than the 60-40, 65-35 pass-to-run ratio Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg prefer.

“I think it’s easier on everybody when the run game is clicking,” Vick said. “It doesn’t allow the defense to tee off and pin their ears back. That’s something that they want to do and you just can’t allow them to do that. If you give them the liberty to free-rush the passer, then they’re going to knock you out. They’re going to hit you a little bit. Balance is good.”

Reid invoked the “whatever it takes to win” credo when asked if he would strive to be more balanced.

“You like to have a balance,” Reid said. “Does that necessarily mean it’s a 50-50 balance? No, that’s not what it necessarily means. No. 1, you want to do what it takes to win and then two, you want to make sure that you get your group in rhythm and that you keep the defense out of rhythm. So the best way to do that is to utilize all your different groupings on offense and give the defense different looks and at the same time, be able to give your offensive line and your quarterback ... and running back an opportunity to get themselves going.”

With three wins by a total of four points, all on fourth-quarter comebacks, the Eagles aren’t exactly playing at that dynasty level Vick spoke of just before training camp. Balance or no balance, they’ve done a 180 from last season when they invented ways to fade in a 1-3 start.

“It means a lot to be 3-1,” Vick said. “It means a lot to be at the top of the division. We still have a lot of tough games ahead of us but that’s what it’s all about. This is the NFL and this is why we play this game.”